Byron eeb bechtel



PATENTED SEPT. 20, 1904 B. E. BEGHTEL.

BRICK 0R TILE CUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

A s W WM wi f neooeo No. 770,625. PATENTED SEPT. 20, 1904;. B. E. BEGHTELL BRICK OR. TILE CUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22, 1904. NO MODELv 2 SIZEETS-SEEET 2.

Mll- W I ml!!! 1 aa/wm UNITED STATES Patented September 20, 1904.

PATENT @EETQE.

BRICK OR TILE CUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 770,625, dated September 20, 1904.

Application filed March 22, 1904:. Serial No. 199,415. (No model.) I

This invention relates to certain improve-- ments in brick, block, and tile cutters, and more particularly to improvements in cuttingreels for employment in machines for cutting brick, blocks, tiles, and the like articles made from clay or similar materials; and the objects and nature of my invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art in the light of the following description of the accompanying drawings, showing a construction merely as an example for purposes of explanation from among other constructions within the spirit and scope of my invention.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved cutting-reel whereby certain advantages in operation and manufacture are attained and certain new results are accomplished, all tending to increase the efficiency of the cutting apparatus.

The invention consists in certain novel features in construction and in combinations and arrangements of parts, as more fully and particularly set forth hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of the rear end of an end-cut brick-cutting machine, showing the brick-cutting reel in end elevation, parts being broken away to show the wire-carrying frames of the reel in various positions assumed during the rotation of the reel. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the reel detached, the wire-carrying frames being removed. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the reel. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the wire-carrying frames.

The cutting-reel shown is used in connection with an endless traveling table mounted in a suitable frame and made up of suitably connected and constructed blocks or sections. The upper ply of this table or conveyer is usually maintained horizontally to receive the bar of clay forced from a continuous-bar machine, so that the continuously-progressing movement of the bar of clay actuates or drives the endless conveyer or table. The cutting-reel is arranged at the rear portion of the top ply of this endless table and is preferably rotated by engagement with portions of the table and carries cutting-wires or other suitable devices to sever the bar of clay into blocks, bricks, tiles, or other sections of the desired length or width.

In the drawings, at is the framework of the machine, having suitable tracks or supporting devices for the sections or blocks 6, which are loosely coupled or otherwise hinged together approximately end to end to form the endless traveling table or conveyer. Each table section or block is provided with a pair of vertical uprights or cutting-reel-actuating strikers or posts 0. The uprights extend vertically from the opposite side edges of each section b, and the uprights of each section are arranged opposite each otherthat is, in the same transverse planeand the up rights of the endless table are equally spaced.

d represents parallel posts or supports usually forming a part of the machine-frame and arranged at opposite sides thereof and extending vertically at opposite edges of the endless table and above the horizontal plane of the top ply of the table. The rotary cutting-reel is mounted in these supports and is arranged trarllsversely above the top ply of the endless tab e.

e is the transverse horizontal shaft or axle of the cutting-reel,and it extends between and at its end is mounted to rotate in suitable journal boxes or bearings carried by the upper portions of said support.

f represents vertically-disposed end heads rigid with said axle and located on the end portions thereof, respectively, adjacent to the inner faces of the said supports and in vertical planes just outside of the vertical planes including the side edges of the traveling table. These two end heads are similar in construcstop-shoulder or abutment g. The outer end of each slideway is open and is usually formed with a lateral recess or opening g for a purpose to be mentioned hereinafter. Each slideway preferably, although not necessarily, is longitudinally tapered or flared from its inner end to its outer end. Each end head can be provided with any suitable number of these slideways, although in the specific example illustrated I show the reel provided with but four pairs of slideways. These slideways receive the removable cuttingframes it. Each frame is preferably formed in one piece,with the parallel outwardly-extending legs or arms and the inner straight connecting-link,so that each frame is U-shaped. The length of each frame is approximately equal to the distance between the floors of a pair of slideways, and the straight parallel outwardly-extending legs of each frame are formed to fit and slide longitudinally in the opposite slideways of the pair. The length of the outwardly-extending legs of a frame is such that when the cross connection of the frame is seated against the shoulders g of the slideways the outer ends of the legs will extend through and beyond the open outer ends of the slideways. The outer ends of the legs of each frame'are usually formed with transverse eyes which are alined and receive the studs or bushings on which the vantifriction-rollers z are mounted to revolve and through which the cutting-wire carrying and adjusting devices j extend.

it is the cutting-wire, extending between the outer ends of said frame [L and concentric with the rollers 6. described the means for mounting the rollers '2 and supporting and adjusting the cuttingwire it, as any suitable devices can be employed for these purposes and as the specific constructions of these devices form no part of my present invention.

Each sliding Wire-carrying frame it can be composed of comparatively thin metalthat is, each frame is considerably less in thickness than the widest portion of each slideway in ,which it is locatedand the thickness of the inner portions of these frames is such that the frame can easily slide longitudinally in the inner portions of the slideways and can also permit lateral movement of the frames in the slideways under certain conditions, as

I have not specifically hereinafter described. The wire carrying frames are entirely independent of each other and can be independently lifted from the reel.

The wire-carrying frames and rollers 2; are so arranged that the uprights of the traveling table will engage the rollers of each frame as it moves down, and hence push the frame back to its limit of inward movement and at the same time rotate the reel, so that the cutting-Wire is carried down through the bar 32, of clay, thereby severing the same, said frame moving rearwardly and after the out has been completed moving upwardly at the rear of the reel. The cutting-frames are brought successively into operation on the bar of clay, as is well understood by those skilled in the art. I provide suitable means to guide and control the longitudinal movement of the wirecarrying frames and to prevent each frame from sliding or dropping from the slideways as said frame passes up at the rear of the reel. For this purpose I arrange curved seg mental guides or tracks 8 at the inner faces of the posts or supports which carry the cuttingreel, so that the outwardly-extending portions of the wire-carrying frames will sweep past these guides as said frames move rearwardly. Each arm or leg of each wire-carrying frame is formed with an outwardly-extending lug m, at the outer end of which a small roller 7% is mounted. These rollers n travel on the curved top edges of the guides or tracks 8 and control the outward movement of the frames in their slideways. Under the influence of gravity the frames as they are passing rearwardly tend to slide out of the slideways; but these guides control the downward movement of the frames and cause each cuttingwire to travel in the desired path, which is eccentric to the axis of rotation of the cutting-reel, in order to prevent the cutting-wires when passing up through the previously-formed cut marring the cut edges of the clay. The guides 8 act on the rollers n and the cuttingframes from about the vertical position until the frames have reached about the horizontal position when moving upward. The studs m extend outwardly through the recesses g of the end heads. I

The slideways gare preferably so arranged that each frame as it moves down has its inner end located above the reel-axle, thereby increasing the tendency of the frame to slide forward as it moves below the horizontal position, so that its rollers 4 will meet the advancing uprights of the traveling table. By thus arranging the slideways so that their inner ends are above the reelaxle as said slideways move down the wire-carrying frames in said slideways will slide forward to meet the table-uprights at a more advanced point in the rotation of the reel than if said slideways ended at or below the axle. Before the wire of said frame arrives at the cutting position said uprights of the traveling table have pushed the frame back until it seats at the inner end of the slideway, so that the wire is ready to begin the cutting operation when it arrives at the cutting position. Of course this operation is performed successively with each wire-carrying frame as the reel revolves.

Material advantages are attained by employing the independent approximately radial wire-carrying frames capable of being independently removed from the reel. During the revolution of the reel any frame can be lifted therefrom after it leaves the guides s and before it is engaged by the table-uprights and a new or different frame slipped in its place. This is a particular advantage where the cutting-wire of a frame becomes broken or damaged. A number of wire-carrying frames with properly-adjusted wires are kept on hand in readiness to be slipped into the slideways whenever a frame is removed from a reel because of a broken wire or for any other reason. Advantages are also attained by the employment of the readily-removable approximately radial wire-carrying frames, where reels are employed carrying a large number of wire-carrying frames-such, for instance, as might be employed in side-cutting machines. The length of out can be readily varied by removing alternate frames or by removing any number of frames, so as to leave the remaining frames equally spaced. Advantages are also attained by so forming slideways as to permit under certain conditions lateral play of the wire-carrying frames in the reel. This is a particular advantage where it is desired to vary slightly the length of the bricks or blocks being cut. Say bricks are ordinarily cut about eight and threequarters inches in length, but because of the difference in the shrinkage of clays under fire it is necessary to cut the bricks in different lengths varying, say, from about eight and three-quarters to nine and one-half inches. By employing the tapered slideways I can employ the one reel to out these varying lengths by varying the lengths of the sections or blocks of the endless carrier, and I hence avoid the necessity of providing a differentsized reel for each different length of brick. The slideways are usually so formed that when the wire-carrying frames are located in the slideways about midway, between the longitudinal walls of the slideways the cutting Wires will be located or spaced a distance apart equal to the length of brick ordinarily cut, but leaving sufieient space in the slideways on each side of the frames to permit lateral movement sufiicient to increase or diminish the distance the, Wires are spaced, and the wire-carrying frames will be held at the desired lateral position in the slideways according to the spacing of the uprights of the traveling table. Said uprights are spaced according to the length of brick to be cut on the particular table, it being necessary to change the traveling table when bricks of a different length are to be out. However, I do not wish to limit the broad features of my invention to the tapered slideways nor to the slideways at their inner ends overlapping the reel shaft, and it is evident that various changes and modifications might be resorted to Without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. Hence I do not wish to limit myself tothe specific construction shown.

What I claim is 1. A rotary cutting-reel comprising independent sliding approximately radial frames provided with cutting devices and with actuating-rollers, in combination with a traveling table engaging said rollers of the frames and thereby rotating the reel.

2. A rotary cutting-reel comprising equallyspaced independently-sliding and laterallymovable frames provided with cutting-wires in combination with a traveling table having spaced actuating members to successively engage said frames and thereby rotate the reel and determine the spacing of the frames during the cutting operation.

3. A rotary cutting-reel comprising independent removable and freely radially and laterally movable frames, each provided with a cutting-wire in combination with a traveling table having portions successively laterally engaging said frames and thereby rotating said reel.

4:. A rotary cutting-reel having outwardlyextending slideways at their inner ends overlapping the reel-axis, and independent sliding wire-carrying frames confined in said slideways.

5. A rotary cuttingreel comprising independent U shaped sliding wire carrying frames at their inner ends arranged to overlap the axis of the reel.

6. A rotary cutting-reel comprisinga shaft, end heads rigid therewith and having the outwardly extending slideways open at their outer ends and at their inner ends overlapping said shaft and independent sliding wire-carrying frames confined in said slideways, each frame provided with a cutting-wire and having outwardly-extending projections at the outer ends of the slideways.

7 A rotary cutting-reel comprising a shaft, end heads thereon having outwardly-extending slideways open at their outer ends and having stop-shoulders at their inner ends, each slideway being longitudinally tapered outwardly, and independent slidable wire-carrying frames confined in said slideways and laterally movable therein.

8. In combination, a traveling table having spaced reel-actuating portions, a rotary cutting-reel comprising independent radiallymovable and freely and independently removable frames provided With cutting devices,said frames engaged by said actuating portions of said table whereby the reel is rotated through said frames, and a guide independent of the reel and successively holding said frames only when at the under portion of the reel against dropping therefrom and determining the radial position thereof whereby the frames can be independently lifted from the top portion of the rotating reel.

9. In combination, aframe, atraveling table having reel-actuating uprights, curved guides carried by the frame, and a rotary reel comprising end heads having outwardly-opening slideways and independent radially-movable frames sliding in said slideways and provided with cutting devices and with portions to engage said uprights and portions to engage said guides, whereby said reel is rotated through said frames, said frames successively engaging and upheld by said guides only when in position at the lower portion of the reel.

10. A rotary cutting-reel comprising spaced independently laterally and'radially movable and independently-removable wire-carrying frames, the radial position of each frame within the reel being controlled by gravity.

11. A rotary cutting-reel comprising independently and freely movable gravity-frames having the cutting devices, in combination with means independent of said reel, holding;

said frames against dropping from the reel, said frames when moving at the top of the reel being out of cooperative relation with said means, and independently removable from the reel, whereby any frame can be lifted from the top of the reel during the rotation thereof.

12. A rotary cutting-reel comprising independently-sliding and freely radially removable wire-carrying frames, in combination with means to prevent the frames dropping down from the reel, whereby any frame can be independently lifted out of the reel when at the upper portion thereof, during the rotation of the reel.

13. A rotary cutting-reel comprising independent sliding U shaped frames provided with cutting-wires, in combination with a traveling table having portions to successively engage said frames beyond said wires and thereby rotate said reel through said frames.

14. A rotary cutting-reel comprising end heads at their inner faces having outwardlyextending slideways open at their outer ends, and independent radial frames sliding in said ways and having cutting-wires and lateral projections beyond the open ends of the slideways, in combination with means cooperating with said projections to determine the radial positions of said frames when passing rearwardly, and a traveling table having side portions successively engaging said frames to rotate said reel.

' 15. A rotary reel having outwardly-extending slideways, and independent freely-sliding gravity-frames arranged in said ways and provided with cutting-wires, in combination with a traveling table having spaced side reel-actuating portions successively engaging said frames to rotate the reel, each frame in succession, sliding forward and engaging an actuating portion before its cutting-wire begins its downward severing movement, said frames when extending up at the top portion of the reel sliding by gravity to the inner ends of their'slideways, and means limiting the outward movement of said frames when passing upwardly at the lower portion of the reel.

16. A rotary cutting-reel comprising about radially-sliding and laterally-movable independent frames having the cutting means, in combination with mechanism determining the radial positions of the frames during the cutting operation, and means engaging said frames and determining the lateral position or spacing thereof during the cutting operation.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BYRON ERB BECHTEL.

Witnesses:

O. W. SOHIEDEL, BERTHA ELLA HILLIARD. 

